
If there is one song on Chin Up Buttercup that summarizes this fifth full-length album from Austra, it’s “The Hopefulness of Dawn.” The six-minute epic opens with a cavernous, echoing intro that plays up the ethereal quality of Katie Stelmanis’ voice. Then, at about two-and-a-half minutes into the song, the raver synths kick in, rising with her voice as a new rhythm overtakes the song. Stelmanis’ name-checks Ray of Light as an influence and, indeed, “The Hopefulness of Dawn” does play out like Austra’s twist on the title track from Madonna’s era-defining 1998 album in that it’s an ecstatic, almost spiritual, slice of dance music.
Continue reading Chin Up Buttercup, Austra Dropped a New Album and It’s Dance Floor Magic